Apparatus for testing blood



Jan. 5, 1932. A. c. MERRICK APPARATUS FOR TESTING BLOOD Filed Oct. 15, 1928 Patented Jan. 5, 1932 1 NITED-f STATES PATENT-OFFICE ANDREWS c. MERRIGK, or OSKALOOSA, IOWA,-.ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T HERBERT KILLIPS, onosxaLoosA, IOWA nrrimezrus ronrnsrme BLOOD Application filed October 15, 1928. Serial No. 312,587.

The object of my inventionis to provide a method and apparatus for testing the blood of the poultry and other animals or beings for discovering the existenceornon-existence f6 of certain disease conditions in the blood.

More particularly, it is myobject. to provide a method of relatively simple and brief of technique, whereby testsmay be quickly, conveniently and accurately made; i It is also my purpose to provide a simple and inexpensive and convenient apparatus for making such tests. In this connection, it is my purpose to provide an apparatus including a case-like element having a quickly removable glass cover plate whereon the serum taken from the animals or being tested maybe conveniently placed for dropping thereon a small portion of diagnostic agent'for determining whether or not a certain reaction will take place, which reaction is to be anticipated if the serum'contains certain agglutinins of harmful bacteria carried by the body of the animal, from which the blood for test hasbeen taken.

A further object is to provide in the apparatus itself the case, the transparent member, and means for illuminating the transparent member from below and also for heating it, so that the reaction may be properly 5 observed microscopically, and so that the serum placed on the plate or glass may be rapidly agglutinated by reason of heat as soon as the diagnostic agent is placed on the serum. With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the apparatus hereinafter explained and inthe practice of the method as hereinmore fully set forth.

, In the drawings herewith illustrating the apparatus used,

Figure'l shows a perspective View of the case comprising a part of the apparatus.

Figure? is a perspective view showing the cover removed. V Figure 3is a perspective view ofthetransparent glass plate-illustrating the shape and size thereof and the arrangement'of indicating marks for dividing the plate into sections or squares.

socket and cord and f Figure 6 is a through the case showing the glass plate and box or case.

I The upper surface of the plate 26- is pref- "Figure' 4 is a perspective view of aplate having a'series of recesses or holes for receiving and holding test tubes.-

- I Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lamp I plug forming a part of the apparatus. 1 I

vertical, sectional view thetest tube holding plate and lamp cord and socket therein; and v Figure 7 is a transverse, sectional view showing the case with the glass plate installed in'position for use, parts being broken away.

, I shall first describe the apparatus and then explain the use thereof and the method which may be employed either with this or other apparatus.

Inthe drawings herewith, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally a case rectangular in outline and longer than it is wide-or deep. The case consists of the bottom 10a, the-end walls 10b,' the side walls 100 and the top or cover member 1011.

. The top or cover member has on itsunder surface adjacent to its edge a rabbet 12, extending entirely aroundit, so as to permit the top to bejpartially inset into the casing, as shown for instance'in Figure 6.

- On the inner sides of the ends 106 spaced slightly from. the upperedges thereof are fixed cleats 14. In one end 10?; ofthe casing 24, through which'the fingersmay be inserted for removing the top or the glass plate now toibe described. g r V I provide a rectangular transparent glass plate 26, which is adapted to rest upon the cleats 14 and thus fitsnugly in the top of the erably divided by suitable indicatin lines 28 into squares 30. The squares maye further identified by indicating characters 32.

In connection with and'as a part of the apparatus, I preferably use a plate 34 of such size as to snugly fit in the casing 10 having a plurality of regularly arranged recesses 36 in its upper part adapted to receive the lower ends of test tubes. The plate 34 may be provided with suitable indicating characters 38 for identifying the respective holes 36. The

holes 36 are preferably arranged in rows, so u as to be aligned both ways of the plate.

"The apparatus includes also an ordinarylamp cord or the like 40 having at one end the bulb socket 42 and at the other end an ordinary plugea.

In practicing my method with this particular apparatus, the serum or blood taken-from the animal oribeing to betested is placed in a testtube and the test ,tube is placed in the plate 34, which-hastheretofore been put on a. table .orthe like. It will, oficourse, be

understood that a number of tests may be conveniently made in prompt succession if several' ofsaid test tubes are carried by the plateSt;

The blood if taken from fowlinay be I drawn from the wing vein or if taken'from the. cattle may be drawn from the jugular or mammary vein.

1 The bloodis permitted to remain in the test .tube for about ten hours for thus permitting -.itto clot and causing the separation ofv the solid matter. from'the liquid portion, so that the serum may then be removed for the purpose of making the diagnostic test.

. In making tests of poultry for instance,the test tubes" marked fowls may be placedzin the particular :holes 36 and a record kept showing what particularfowl is represented by therserum in the particular tube. The

"poultry, of course, may be marked with leg bands or the like for convenience in keeping records of the tested birds.

A'bulb 46isplacedin the socket 42' and the plug dais connected with any suitable socket so that current can. be had for lighting the lamp. The lamp is placed in the casingiand'the glassplate26 is placed in posi tion as shown in Figure 3, resting uponthe cleats 14. I

-....When the tests are to be made, the serum from-the different test tubes is removed from each tube by a pipette and dropped upon the lglassplate,.preferably on' the square 30 corresponding to the hole. 36 in the plate 34ire- -ceiving the. test. tube from which the serum "WaS dI"flWIl.

Thus. a number tests may be made in a serieslofoperations and proper record can be kept of the tests:

i-As soon as the drop of serum is placed upon on of the squares 30, there is placed on top of such drop-a small amount of diagnostic agent.

- When'the'light'bulb is illuminated, will ggenerate some heat and this will'warm the plate 30 and speedup theagglutination and plate.

thus facilitate the promptness of the reaction.

The expert can determine immediately whether the reaction occurs. If the animal is not a carrier of the suspected disease, the diagnostisagent will not affect the serum and such a test is then referred to as negative.

Where the disease is present, the diagnostic agent coacts with the serum for producing a cui'dling appearance, which is readily visible 14% sodium chloride (NaCl).

002% sodiumhydroxide (n/ 1); 005% lithium bromide (LiBr). -15%,phenol(O H OH).

86%9396 distilled water (H O).

. 11- then prefer to useja diagnostic agenthaving a'high bacterial content and I find that I can then employ nymethod and apparatus without a microscope, because the agglutination can be readily observed with the naked eye;,; Th1s is of considerable importance'because' it facilitates the rapidity with which tests can be made for a large number of animals and eliminates'the necessity for using and carrying from place to. place an expensive microscope.

I claim as my invention:

,1. An apparatus for testing blood from beings comprising a casing having an open top, aglass platehaving indicating means for. dividing the plate into sections and means for. supporting the plate adjacent the top of said casing and a cover forsaid casing adapted to immediately overlie said glass 2. an apparatus for testing'blood from beings comprising a casing having an open top and having cross members at its ends only, a glass plateadapted to rest on said cross members or tobe placed in said casing therebelow, said casing having the-rein means for illuminating the glass plate from below.

1 3. Anapparatus for testing: blood from beings comprising a casing having open top and having at its ends only, cross;.ineinbers, a glass plate adapted to rest on said cross niembersyhaving indicating means for dividing the plate into sections, sa d casing having means for illuminating and. heating the glass plate from below. I

An apparatus for-testing-blood from beings-comprising a casing having an open with Salmonella mellow m and/or Bacterimn sangumamum as a culture,-Imay use the following-z Tau top and having at its ends cross-members, a

glass plate adapted to rest on said cross members having indicating means for dividing the plate into regular sections, and a plate or rack having a plurality of recesses corresponding in arrangement to the sections of the glass plate and adapted toreceive containers.

5. An apparatus for testing blood from beings comprising a casing having an open top and having at its ends only, cross members, a glass plate adapted to rest on said cross members, the glass plate being adapted to fit within the casing by tilting it and inserting it with a swinging motion below the cross members. l

6. In an apparatus of the class described,

an open top casing, a lid therefor, a transparent plate and means carried by the casing for supporting the plate immediately below the lid whereby the lid, when in position on the casing will prevent the dislocation or said transparent plate from its supported position in the casing.

Des Moines, Iowa, September 26, 1928.

ANDREWS C. MERRICK. 

